02-01-2024, 01:12 AM
Manuel Shu dropped his soccer bag along with his bookbag under his desk. 5th Period, the last of the day, Honors World History. It wasn't Manuel's favorite class, but he didn't hate it. Manuel had always been good at history, he had a NAP grade of 8 last year and enjoyed learning about different parts of the world. For better and for worse, Mr Andrew's 5th Period also featured his twin sister, Zoe. The two of them were born less than 5 minutes apart, yet looked so different. If it weren't for their shared last name, many people wouldn't have guessed twins.
"Hey Manuel," Zoe said as she passed him to sit in the front of the class.
"Oh, hey" Manuel was half-watching a soccer match on his phone. His team Acadia Oaks United was playing an Association Cup tie.
Slowly the classroom was filling, some students coming in on their own quietly, some coming in loudly with their cliques. Manuel had moved to San Castillo, a liberally-minded suburb of San Fernando from his hometown of Newton in West Acadia. The two places were worlds away, with Newton being a small town where things didn't change, yet San Castillo was dominated by the newest trend both political and social.
"Why are you an Acadia fan, bruh" Daniel, one of Manuel's few friends sat down beside him in the back of class.
"I'm from there, you're a Northrock fan right"
"Yeah, man Raise the Pines"
"Northrock just poaches every other team's you can't talk bro"
Before, he could continue Mr. Andrews closed the door loudly signaling the start of class.
"We're gonna win the treble, Elite Championships, Association, and the League, you will be lucky if Acadia doesn't get relegated," Daniel said quieter.
The class had started, and on the board was a map of Laucheoria. Their unit was on Civil War's, with their final paper comparing and contrasting 2 or more conflicts. Manuel was only half listening.
On the next slide, a close-up image "Today, we will focus on Aleuria, a small and culturally different island within Lauchernoia" Mr Andrews said standing in front of an image of a beach. Meanwhile, Acadia Oaks was narrowly leading 1-0 against Ciudad Victoria, although in the second tier was currently dominating their league and was almost certainly to be promoted. Manuel was so engaged in the game on his phone he didn't hear any of the lessons of Alueria's history and the battles that took place there during the civil war. In fact the first time, he noticed what was going on around him was when his sister spoke.
"I believe Auria made the right choice, choosing to remain part of Lauchenoria," Zoe said with passion in her voice. Zoe was much more engaged and knowledgeable than Manuel, even though they got similar grades. She also strongly identified with their Kaijanese Minjian ancestry. Zoe and Manuel's grandparents had fled due to violence in the aftermath of the Great War, with both being told stories at a young age of an angry mob storming their village. Kaijanese Minjian as a whole were opposed to independence, as without the oversight of the central government, attacks against the Minjian people would only increase. The twins had been born in North Kaijan, and they spent summers with cousins in the mountains, finding swimming holes, getting into trouble, and all that.
"The Aleurians are just like the Kaijanese, victims of government oppression," said Grace, She and Zoe had an academic/personal beef, that Manuel didn't understand fully but Zoe had constantly talked about.
"I really don't think you can judge either group from an outside perspective" Zoe responded quickly
"That's an interesting point, Zoe would anyone else like to speak" added Mr Andrews, attempting to prevent the coming debate
"The Kaijanese people are an oppressed people, do you not know the history?" Grace said almost as if testing her social awareness.
"Yes, actually I do because I am Kaijanese, I was born there, and not everyone supports independence"
"Damn, bro could you give me your sister's number I'm trying to get a piece of that," Daniel whispered almost sarcastically to Manuel
"Nahhh, your weird bro"
"Just because you were born there doesn't mean, you are really Kaijanese-" Grace stated
"It does," Manuel said from the back of the class
"Taking a little break from your little soccer game," Grace said sarcastically
"Our family goes back a thousand years in North Kaijan, our family left because of political violence because Kaijan was under the control of the government. Wasn't this discussion about Aleuria anyway?"
"You right Manuel, although I'm afraid we're out of time. Everybody just use these last few minutes to this week's reading" Mr Andrews said.
The whole class took that as a signal that the class had ended. Manuel looked back at the Acadian Oaks game, and the Oaks had managed to close it out with a narrow win, although enough to take them to the next round. Zoe came up to her brother.
"I should be mad at you for preventing me from getting my word in against Grace, but I'm glad to see someone else cares"
"I guess, Grace is just so annoying and stuck-up, had to give you the assist against her" Manuel said grabbing his bags
"This school just fosters a bunch of out-of-touch liberals, who have this idea of being a savior to oppressed people's," Zoe said
"Cool, well just send me a picture of the notes, I missed most of the class today" Manuel responded standing up in the aisle.
As the bell rang, Manuel passed Grace on the way out, she was loudly complaining to a friend about "male favoritism" and Manuel couldn't help but smile to himself. Like those Kaijan summers, the fun wouldn't last, if Zoe was right Grace would have her get back. But for now, Manuel was just glad the day was over.
"Hey Manuel," Zoe said as she passed him to sit in the front of the class.
"Oh, hey" Manuel was half-watching a soccer match on his phone. His team Acadia Oaks United was playing an Association Cup tie.
Slowly the classroom was filling, some students coming in on their own quietly, some coming in loudly with their cliques. Manuel had moved to San Castillo, a liberally-minded suburb of San Fernando from his hometown of Newton in West Acadia. The two places were worlds away, with Newton being a small town where things didn't change, yet San Castillo was dominated by the newest trend both political and social.
"Why are you an Acadia fan, bruh" Daniel, one of Manuel's few friends sat down beside him in the back of class.
"I'm from there, you're a Northrock fan right"
"Yeah, man Raise the Pines"
"Northrock just poaches every other team's you can't talk bro"
Before, he could continue Mr. Andrews closed the door loudly signaling the start of class.
"We're gonna win the treble, Elite Championships, Association, and the League, you will be lucky if Acadia doesn't get relegated," Daniel said quieter.
The class had started, and on the board was a map of Laucheoria. Their unit was on Civil War's, with their final paper comparing and contrasting 2 or more conflicts. Manuel was only half listening.
On the next slide, a close-up image "Today, we will focus on Aleuria, a small and culturally different island within Lauchernoia" Mr Andrews said standing in front of an image of a beach. Meanwhile, Acadia Oaks was narrowly leading 1-0 against Ciudad Victoria, although in the second tier was currently dominating their league and was almost certainly to be promoted. Manuel was so engaged in the game on his phone he didn't hear any of the lessons of Alueria's history and the battles that took place there during the civil war. In fact the first time, he noticed what was going on around him was when his sister spoke.
"I believe Auria made the right choice, choosing to remain part of Lauchenoria," Zoe said with passion in her voice. Zoe was much more engaged and knowledgeable than Manuel, even though they got similar grades. She also strongly identified with their Kaijanese Minjian ancestry. Zoe and Manuel's grandparents had fled due to violence in the aftermath of the Great War, with both being told stories at a young age of an angry mob storming their village. Kaijanese Minjian as a whole were opposed to independence, as without the oversight of the central government, attacks against the Minjian people would only increase. The twins had been born in North Kaijan, and they spent summers with cousins in the mountains, finding swimming holes, getting into trouble, and all that.
"The Aleurians are just like the Kaijanese, victims of government oppression," said Grace, She and Zoe had an academic/personal beef, that Manuel didn't understand fully but Zoe had constantly talked about.
"I really don't think you can judge either group from an outside perspective" Zoe responded quickly
"That's an interesting point, Zoe would anyone else like to speak" added Mr Andrews, attempting to prevent the coming debate
"The Kaijanese people are an oppressed people, do you not know the history?" Grace said almost as if testing her social awareness.
"Yes, actually I do because I am Kaijanese, I was born there, and not everyone supports independence"
"Damn, bro could you give me your sister's number I'm trying to get a piece of that," Daniel whispered almost sarcastically to Manuel
"Nahhh, your weird bro"
"Just because you were born there doesn't mean, you are really Kaijanese-" Grace stated
"It does," Manuel said from the back of the class
"Taking a little break from your little soccer game," Grace said sarcastically
"Our family goes back a thousand years in North Kaijan, our family left because of political violence because Kaijan was under the control of the government. Wasn't this discussion about Aleuria anyway?"
"You right Manuel, although I'm afraid we're out of time. Everybody just use these last few minutes to this week's reading" Mr Andrews said.
The whole class took that as a signal that the class had ended. Manuel looked back at the Acadian Oaks game, and the Oaks had managed to close it out with a narrow win, although enough to take them to the next round. Zoe came up to her brother.
"I should be mad at you for preventing me from getting my word in against Grace, but I'm glad to see someone else cares"
"I guess, Grace is just so annoying and stuck-up, had to give you the assist against her" Manuel said grabbing his bags
"This school just fosters a bunch of out-of-touch liberals, who have this idea of being a savior to oppressed people's," Zoe said
"Cool, well just send me a picture of the notes, I missed most of the class today" Manuel responded standing up in the aisle.
As the bell rang, Manuel passed Grace on the way out, she was loudly complaining to a friend about "male favoritism" and Manuel couldn't help but smile to himself. Like those Kaijan summers, the fun wouldn't last, if Zoe was right Grace would have her get back. But for now, Manuel was just glad the day was over.
<t>The Federation of Slokais Islands- fighting for freedom and democracy</t>